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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: tribz on September 14, 2008, 03:28:58 PM
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Assuming I have the hardware to run both on a 1200 tower, which is best (speed and resolution) ... a bvision or a voodoo3? Or even a Voodoo Banshee?
Thanks
tribz
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Depends on what kind of bussboard you intend to run.
I found BVisionPPC to be faster than Voodoo3 on Mediator for example.
Bvision can run upto 1600x1200 but the screen is very fuzzy, so a graphics board with DVI is much better (I guess).
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Thanks for the input, dont think I'll be going higher that 1280x1024.
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Bvision can run upto 1600x1200 but the screen is very fuzzy
I fixed that problem by improving the insulation of the cable between the BVision and the VGA-connector.
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Im actually thinking of making a completely new cable by using shielded TP-cable, dont know how much improvement that would be though.
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um, and how do you improve insulation Piru? by cutting down some wires?
@cv643d
is 9 wires enough?
maybe its better to butcher some old monitor cable..
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Actually, while BvisionPPC *maybe* a little bit faster on desktop and video playback than a Voodoo on Mediator with 8mb window set, on anything warp3d Voodoo is much faster. And thanks to Voodoo's 16mb compared to Bvsion's 8mb, you have more space for opened screens.
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Orange: I was thinking of running double cables or even a single TP-cable for every signal comming from BVision.
Vulture wrote:
Actually, while BvisionPPC *maybe* a little bit faster on desktop and video playback than a Voodoo on Mediator with 8mb window set, on anything warp3d Voodoo is much faster. And thanks to Voodoo's 16mb compared to Bvsion's 8mb, you have more space for opened screens.
While that might be true (which I have no reason not to believe)on most things on the desktop that moves, it is much faster on the BVision and sometimes slower than AGA on the Voodoo. For example EaglePlayer/Deliplayer graphic visualisers, scrolling in browsers etc, running a big shell screen you can notice that when scrolling large chunks of text. I dont remember the issues in detail anymore because I sold my Mediator so soon. But there were some topics about these issues on the Mediator mailing list without no known solution.
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@orange
um, and how do you improve insulation Piru? by cutting down some wires?
Much of the blur problem originates from the crosstalk of the cable.
I carefully removed the connector on one end of the cable and removed the plastic tube covering the actual cable. I insulated each wire separately by using the insulator from 10BASE2 cable I ripped open. Put back the connector and it's done.
It made 1600x1200x16 mode usable.
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oh, I see now, Piru. thanks for the tip.
@cv643d
but twisted pair is used for different frequencies. It would probably be better to use some specialized video cable like factory made SCART2SCART.
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@cv643d
yup, that's true about the visualizers, but Browsers scroll very fast, my vinced and kcon shell are rapid as well. I guess some programs are coded in a weird way. Also, some ppl may have speed issues if they've set the memory window on mediator at 4mb. I've found out that, contrary to what the manual says, the window can be at 8mb at all times with a compatible accelerator even if a pcmcia is present. Sure, in this case there are glitches (ie in Shapeshifter), but even then there's always that nice "remcards" blizkick module to disable anything at the pcmcia with a reboot and keep the speed of 8mb without problems.
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I owned them both and the BVision is a bit faster. If you can't get hold of a BVision then you wont notice a difference in speed during usage, it's only really when you start software benchmarking and can view concrete figures.
If you have a Mediator then I would say the best card to get is a Voodoo 3 (in particular, the 3000 model) as the 3000's drivers are more mature.
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cv643d wrote:
Orange: I was thinking of running double cables or even a single TP-cable for every signal comming from BVision.
Vulture wrote:
Actually, while BvisionPPC *maybe* a little bit faster on desktop and video playback than a Voodoo on Mediator with 8mb window set, on anything warp3d Voodoo is much faster. And thanks to Voodoo's 16mb compared to Bvsion's 8mb, you have more space for opened screens.
While that might be true (which I have no reason not to believe)on most things on the desktop that moves, it is much faster on the BVision and sometimes slower than AGA on the Voodoo. For example EaglePlayer/Deliplayer graphic visualisers, scrolling in browsers etc, running a big shell screen you can notice that when scrolling large chunks of text. I dont remember the issues in detail anymore because I sold my Mediator so soon. But there were some topics about these issues on the Mediator mailing list without no known solution.
the Bvision can be improved with a faster bus speed. during testing i found dual 67.666Mhz fitted to the Blizzard PPC seems to work better than say 68Mhz ( overclocked 240Mhz PPC )
there a clear improvment in 3d perfomance. to get this you also need to go to the Blizzard PPC Ram menu & switch all to *no precharge*
WARNING: with faster OSC & the memory switch in that mode you can damage you simms or your Blizzard PPC card if you dont have the right cooling.
four microchips on the Blizzard PPC needs cooling.
test done with OS3.9
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@delshay
"four microchips on the Blizzard PPC needs cooling."
Which ones? I mean, obviously the PPC and 68k (no?), what others need cooling?
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maybe one of them is SCSI chip. and I believe there is one tiny chip/component below the PPC heatsink, in the corner. some say that you should put thermal paste on it so that heatsink cools it better, too.
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@orange
I don't remember any such component. Unless if it's actually in contact with the heatsink thermal paste will only lower the heat dissipation.
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Vulture wrote:
@delshay
"four microchips on the Blizzard PPC needs cooling."
Which ones? I mean, obviously the PPC and 68k (no?), what others need cooling?
the microchips have the marking CY7C3741 there are three of them.
some amiga users use a washer on the microchip under the Blizzard PPC heatsink with thermal paste.
WARNING: if anyone trys the above you must check the washer is not to thick or to thin.
if to thick it will reduce contact with the PPC chip.
if to thin will not make contact with PPC heatsink.
the SCSI chip also needs a heatsink if Blizzard PPC is Overclocked.
temperature of the CY7C3741 near the Bvision socket is higher than the other CY7C3741 around 54-58c ( not overclocked ) if i remember.
the mach microchip ( also near the Bvision socket ) is also around the same temperature and also needs a heatsink.
***VERY IMPORTANT NOTE***
if adding a heatsink near the Bvision socket it best to check/do this with Bvision & possibley SIMMS added.
if you add heatsink without checking Bvision/Simms you will not be able to fit them after.
*** check Bvision/SIMMS will fit before adding heatsink near Bvision socket ***
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there is a similar thread with nice photos on amigaworld (http://amigaworld.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=26745&forum=25&9) (sorry if breaking rules)
I remember seeing BPPC with yellow heatsinks on those tiny chips somewhere (probably here) but cannot find the damn link.
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orange wrote:
there is a similar thread with nice photos on amigaworld (http://amigaworld.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=26745&forum=25&9) (sorry if breaking rules)
I remember seeing BPPC with yellow heatsinks on those tiny chips somewhere (probably here) but cannot find the damn link.
that link shows a heatsink glued to a PPC processor.
i would have fitted the fan the other way as to blow hot air away from PPC card & motherboard.
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Vulture wrote:
@cv643d
yup, that's true about the visualizers, but Browsers scroll very fast, my vinced and kcon shell are rapid as well. I guess some programs are coded in a weird way. Also, some ppl may have speed issues if they've set the memory window on mediator at 4mb. I've found out that, contrary to what the manual says, the window can be at 8mb at all times with a compatible accelerator even if a pcmcia is present. Sure, in this case there are glitches (ie in Shapeshifter), but even then there's always that nice "remcards" blizkick module to disable anything at the pcmcia with a reboot and keep the speed of 8mb without problems.
Well I tried both 4/8 MB to and did not notice any improvement. I can not claim browsers scrolled more smooth with the Voodoo, however I noticed if something moved in another window while I scrolled in a browser that window slowed down quite a lot.
That behaviour was not what I was used to in Workbench and I got quite annoyed by these problems.
I am curious if the never revision of Mediator (TX) has the same problem or if the A4000 variants of Mediator shares the same problems too, because I would love to have a rock solid 1920x1200 Workbench. 8-)
About cooling the BPPC, I would not remove that black heatsink and replace it with a single cooler over the PPC-chip because the original heatsink was meant to cool the chips on the side of the PPC. You will need some kind of airflow over these small chips if you remove it and if you study the original heatsink you see that it has a channel where air flow over the chips but only has contact with the PPC.
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cv643d Quote:
About cooling the BPPC, I would not remove that black heatsink and replace it with a single cooler over the PPC-chip because the original heatsink was meant to cool the chips on the side of the PPC. You will need some kind of airflow over these small chips if you remove it and if you study the original heatsink you see that it has a channel where air flow over the chips but only has contact with the PPC.
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i can't see how it going to cool down any microchips.
the channel on the Blizzard PPC heatsink is more likely to cool down the two regulators.
so a single cooler over the PPC processor *maybe* better as you can add your own cooling to the regulators ( if needed )
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@cv643d
hmmm....
that's strange behaviour, that doesn't happen here, everything scrolls fine. For example, I had an amp2 playing a clip and an ASp window playing a speccy demo and IBrowse scrolled just fine. Also, about the mem window, just try switching between screens, the difference is obvious. Unless of course you've set P96 MMU on. I have to have it off for warp3d to work correctly.
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voodoo 3000 is faster on a grex ive had both